Recipe: Old prospector’s delicious and easy Camp Stew

By Randall Brink
This Camp Stew recipe is a favorite from the Klondike and 49ers’ Gold Rush days.

It is a good way to use what you have available in meat and other ingredients, as almost any type of meat can be used.

The stew was typically cooked over the fire or in coals, in a heavy iron Dutch oven. It’s best when cooked long and slow, which makes any meat tender and simmers the contents of the pot to a mouth-watering stew. This stew is superb served with Bannock, from the recipe posted in RV Travel previously.

 Camp Stew ingredients

• 2 lbs. beef chuck roast, wild game, or fresh roadkill
• 2 cups carrots, cut into chunks of about 2-in. in length
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch each of salt and pepper
• 5-6 medium potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 medium onions, peeled, whole
• 1 small head or half a large head of cabbage, cut into quarters

Camp Stew instructions

• Cube meat and brown in bacon fat in a Dutch oven.
• Cover with water and simmer, covered, on the fire or over low coals.
• Once the meat has stewed for 1 hour, add the carrots, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
• Cook another 30 minutes, then add the potatoes and onions.
• Add water as necessary to keep liquid over meat and vegetables.
• After another 30 minutes, add cabbage and cook until tender, +/- 15 minutes.
• Serve with hearty sourdough bread or Bannock.

Some might prefer to thicken the pan liquid into gravy. If so, simply whisk 1-2 tablespoons of flour in a half-cup of cold water. Stir into liquid and cook a few minutes longer until thickened.

Wine pairing: Carlo Rossi Red.

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